Mousepool's Choice
by Midnightflash22
Summary: Being a kit of Midnightstar isn't quite what you'd expect. When Midnightstar suddenly loses her faith in StarClan, StarClan gives Mousekit a choice. Will she be able to do what she thinks is impossible?
1. Help

**Chapter 1**:

**Help**

Deceiving my brothers is a speciality of mine. Even if it is in the open clearing where everyone, but my brothers, can see me. Living with two semi-unruly brothers isn't great but you can't pick your kin. I'll always love Dovekit and Cinderkit to the days the Dark Forest takes over. Sometimes even then. I don't hear anything about them trying to find me so I get up and start to pad away when I hear a rustling behind me. Assuming it was them I dropped into a crouch hoping to hide my light brown pelt in the ferns.

The bush rustled some more. I was down-wind from it so, hoping that a breeze wouldn't come by, I moved a little closer to it. If it was Dovekit and Cinderkit they would've jumped out by now. I was only a few tail lengths away from the fern I was hiding in when the scent filled my nose. It wasn't a scent I recognized. Although it did have the scent of milk mixed in with it.

The scent got stronger when the thing popped its snout-like mouth out of a bush a couple tail-lengths away. I then knew I was In trouble. The snout belonged to a fox. A nursing fox by the scent of milk, which is even worse. Fear settled into me when I heard it and felt it moving closer. I try to slither away from it towards the tree next to the edge of the Hollow rim. Stumbling and tripping, the fox snarled.

No way to hide, run, or howl for help without alerting the fox to my exact whereabouts. I was starting to see the bright red fur of the fox as it got closer. Foxes would do anything to get a kit and kill it, according to the elders' stories.

"StarClan help me!" I hissed under my breath as the fox comes leaping out.

Snapping and swiping it stood waiting to rid of the nuisence in its area. It flew at me with it's teeth bared hoping to catch me. It moved too suddenly and fast that when I slid beneath her she slammed into the tree. Blood trickled a little from her underside from my hind claws but that didnt seem to bother her much. As I tried to sidestep away from her she slammed me unto the ground with her paw on my throat. Sliding into unconscious, the fox began to whine and whimper as the air rushed back into my lungs. Getting a hazy glimpse I saw a light brown tabby reared up next to Ravenpaw.

Ravenpaw was prodding my side trying to wake me up.

"Thank StarClan your alright! I was worried I'd have to tell your mother you were killed by a fox. Do you need any help getting up?" He meowed hurriedly noticing I was trying to get up.

"No im alright. Where's the cat that was helping you? How did you know I was here? Does anyone else know! Dovekit or Cinderkit didn't see you did they?"

"Leafpool's right behind you, I could see you from underneath the shade tree in the corner of the clearing. No one else saw me slink away, I think. Dovekit and Cinderkit definitely didn't see me. They're with your mother playing next to the lake." He purred knowing that with all those questions she was okay.

Wait. If Dovekit and Cinderkit were out with Midnightstar then I could've been down there sharing a mouse or a vole with someone? I gotta be more observent!

"We've yet to meet personally, Mousekit," there was a motherly voice coming from behind me. "Oh my! They were right. If we didn't know you were Midnightstar's kit we never would've guessed! Anyway I'm here to warn you." The tabby warrior's surprised expression shocked me. Am I that different than my mother?

"I thought StarClan's meetings were only for a cat at a time," she looked back at the black tom who was listening and hanging onto every word. "No. It's quite rare we give warnings to several cats at once but never is it only for one cat alone to know. Unless your told otherwise. You have a great journey ahead of you Mousekit. You will find trouble no cat has ever dreamed of before. Knowing who you can trust is going to be difficult. We, StarClan and all who run and hunt there, are intrusting you with this," the shimmering tabby she concluded.

"Who are you exactly?" my voice sounded weak with the shock of being attacked by a fox. "Your name sounds like one I've heard... but I'm not sure."

"Leafpool's the daughter of Firestar. She birthed Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather in the Anicent Clans that we once were before the war with the Dark Forest," green eyes met mine with an expression of amusement in them. "Sharpthorn likes telling kits that story all the time which, is why her name sounds so fimliar to you."

"Thank you Ravenpaw. But he is right Mousekit. I'll try to help you along the way as much as I can without having too much say in the matter. Remember _you_ are the key to your Clans future. Ravenpaw is along to help." Leafpool was fading rapidly. "Never lose your faith in us Mousekit, it'll prove to help you in the long run."

Loud paw steps were heading this way. Hunting patrol. Four cats emerged in the clearing across from Ravenpaw and I. The black apprentice locked eyes with me for a quick heartbeat, telling me to let him do the talking.

"What are you doing all this way out of camp with just an apprentice with you, Mousekit?" a gray and golden she stepped up. "You mother has been looking for you everywhere. Well it doesn't matter now, she's at the lake with your brothers." Was I that focused in day dreaming I didn't see my mother leave?

"Risingwater, it doesn't matter now. Besides I told Midnightstar I'd take Mousekit out for alittle bit last night. She must have forgotten." The apprentice sounded as if he was challenging her. "We'll head back to camp."

Ravenpaw and I started to get up to leave when I fell. I couldn't move my hind leg. My body was lifted off the ground and black paws appeared in rythmatic movements under her. "Don't think you two are off the hook that easy! We all can smell fox." The she cats hiss trailed behind them.

I was set gentlely down a couple of trees away from the camp enterance. A cold nose poked around my leg that wouldn't move. "I think its just twisted. I'm not sure though, since I've only just been apprenticed three moons ago. But knowing you, you'd want to walk through those brambles like nothing ever happened right?"

"Um... let me try walking on it..." I could barely spit the words out with him staring at me. Everytime I tried to walk on it I fell, almost hurting another paw trying to catch myself. "I don't think I can walk back. Even if it is a couple of trees away. Do you think you could take me to Brightbreath?" I avoided his gaze knowing that if I looked into them I'd be at a loss for words.

Whispers flew around camp like the wind as they walked through the tunnel enterance, and as if sensing my uneasiness, Ravenpaw moved quickier. The brambles that hide the calico's den hid most of the stares.

Poking and prodding my leg, a soothing purring came floating up to my ears. "You'll have to be more careful next time you venture out of camp, Mousekit. The reason you can't walk on it is because its sprained. Probally from the fox you," she glanced at Ravenpaw. "fought off. I'll give some poppy seed to ease some of the pain but you won't be able to do much for a little while."

The she cat reached her paw into a small hollow area she used to store herbs and pulled out tiny black seeds out. Setting a few in front of me she meowed, "Don't worry I won't tell Midnightstar. But you'll need to rest so eat these and go to the nursery."


	2. Owlwing

**Chapter Two:**

** Owlwing**

Midnightstar has been making me stay within the clearing for a couple days. Yes, that means Dovekit torture. I couldn't even go to the dirt place without him waiting outside the opening. Luckily Ravenpaw has taken me aside (without the gawking eyes of Dovekit) to show her a leap-and-hold fighting teghnique. Since I was the smaller of us, I was the one he jumped on.

"Ca...Can't.. breathe!" I attempted and failed to hiss meaningly. Granted Ravenpaw wan't much older than me, he still weighs a lot more than he looks! "Back leg is injured! Mouse-brain."I touched my nose to his ear reassuringly, even though he was squashing me. He seemed to realize it a second later...

"At least your doing better on your leg. I had dawn patrol this morning and asked Brightbreath if you'd be able to leave the clearing today." His eyes were searching for mine, I looked everywhere but him. "She said. 'She has to come see me with her mother first! Then if I approve and Midnightstar says she can, you can take her to the outskirts of the training area.' " My eyes were locked with his now.

I can't believe she's letting, or at least thinking about letting, me run today in something other than the clearing! Worry seemed to leap from his eyes as I didn't say anything. He wouldn't be expecting this! I leaped, landing square on his shoulders. The black tom fell underneath me. Moving out of pawing distance I looked back, green amusement filled eyes stared back.

"Mousekit!" A gentle but authoritive voice called, "Meet me in Brightbreath's den. Now!"

Saying bye to the young apprentice I trotted up to the bushy fern enterance to the medicine cat's den.

"Do you think it could've been coindense, that she was there?" Worry filled my mother's meow. _Worry_ seems to be going around a lot today!

"I can only say what I think. And I am not supposed to take sides on whom ever is in a fight within the Clan. I have no opinion on this particular matter anyways."

"Brightbreath, have you had a message from StarClan?"

"You would know if I had a message. Besides if I did I wouldn't repeat it with little ears around. Mousekit come join Midnightstar and I."

A sliver and bramble cat was laying in a nest just outside the cleft where the cailco cat slept. They were closer than I expected; I almost ran into Midnightstar. Trying to show how good my leg was doing I tried not to let them know that the staggering backwards had a small searing pain shoot through my leg.

"Your walking well on it. Seems to have gone away... I just want u to come back and get a poppy seed before the moon rises. Okay?" Brightbreath had a twinkle in her eyes that said 'Don't worry. It's still our little secret'. For that I thank her. Then she turned her head toward the cream and white she cat, "If you are willing to let her out of camp, she's all set to go. Just make sure she gets the poppy seed."

"Thank you, Brightbreath. Since you've been longing to go, go with Ravenpaw." Midnightstar tucked in her legs and resumed talking with the young medicine cat, signaling my que to leave.

I wonder what they were talking about.. could this be why Leafpool came to Ravenpaw and I? Knowing where Ravenpaw had wanted to take me to, I left a message with Pepsiheart to let him know I'd be waiting for him. I took the long way around, which lead to the clearing and followed a stream.

There was another small rustle ahead of me. Panic rippled off my pelt like the waves in the lake. I crept back to the beech tree and half hid under it. A small creature with a bushy tail popped out. It's scent was very mouth watering. Now I felt very stupid. I was hiding from a squirrel.

No sense in letting good prey go to waste, I crouched as if I was attacking an intruder, I crept up close enough to pounce on it. With a killing bit to the back of the neck, it lay limp in my mouth. I'll go and show Ravenpaw! He'll be so proud! I started to walk away with it when I fell from a new weight on my back.

Now fear filled me and almost seized control over what the black apprentice had taught me earlier that day, I went completely limp. The weight seemed to lift and when it did I rolled over and batted at their underbelly. Then I bunched up my hind legs and let them spring so that the cat stumbled backwards.

A silver-gray she cat layed on her side, her breath making her sides fall rapidly.

"Owlwing?" her ears swivled to listen to me better. "Why did you attack me?" Slowly she sat up since my claws were unsheathed blood trickled and dripped on the ground under her.

"I was testing you. I know about your little training sessions with that.. with that no good apprentice, Ravenpaw." There was a snear in her meow.

"Don't talk about him like that! You have NO idea what he is like! Stay out of our business!" Although I was a kit, I was challenging the Clan deputy. As you can tell she doesn't like my good friend much. "Your only saying that because he's the kit of the cat you wanted to be your mate. You shouldn't dislike him for his father's actions."

She hurled herself at me and I ran. Knowing Ravenpaw should be at the bank near the river I ran towards that place. I couldn't possiblely fight Owlwing off when she's in a rage like this. A tree root was ahead of me. Maybe if she far behind me enough I could hide under there until she runs passed.

Without pausing to look I quickly ducked under the root. Sure enough, Owlwing jumped over head and kept running. I quickly got out, the bark snagging some small tufts of fur from my back. Waiting a few moments to make sure she had left, I started going back to my squirrel when her yowl rang close enough to the tree line that I looked around for a place to hide. Soft paw steps came from behind me, the paw steps of a skilled hunter.

With little enegry I had I ran. When I felt like I couldn't run any farther I hid in a bush to catch my breath. _I can't keep running like this! _I thought. _The camp is too far away for me to make it on my own. Even if I could I'm sure Owlwing would make up some mouse-brained explaination of why she was chasing me. _She thundered past me. _If I'm going to defend myself now is the time to do it._ I made sure I was loud enough for her to hear me. And hear me, she did. She swivled around the moment I stepped out.

The silver she cat lurched herself forward. _Just what I was waiting for._ As she neared me, I stood my ground. It wasn't until she was right in front of me that I jump behind her, and catching her off guard landed on her shoulders. Not the exact spot I wanted, but this is a good spot as any. An yowl drift through her fur, into my ears, then it felt like I was being crushed by a mountain. I clung on with all I had left in me and dropped off of her back like a dead flea in water after the weight was gone.

Owlwing crouched again. _Is this ever going to end?_ As she went to pounced I fell to the ground, raking my claws into her soft, exposed belly. Blood had trickled on me when I moved. Then all of the air seemed to rush out of me. She must have been really exhausted if she can't or couldn't've finished a fight with a kit! And here I was looking forward to go to a gathering!

Other than the blood she seemed ok. So, in excusing myself, I went and got my squirrel. I, of course having run in different directions, couldn't find my way to camp. Over the scent of my kill I thought I smelled a scent like illiness. I looked up and saw a faded dark red tabby with black legs, tail, and one black ear. The cat was outlined in a stary glow.

**sorry for the wait... Chapter three is still in the beginning of writing process. So it'll be a few days or so before I get it up. ~Midnightflash22**


	3. My Own

**Chapter 3**

**My Own**

The cat didn't seem to be hostile, so I guessed they were a friend the Clan somehow. Without giving any noticed, he (_I can definitely tell they were a tom_) abruptly turned and padded out of the little clearing. Wanting to know more about the tabby, I tried to catch up with him, but everytime I came close enough he sped up. _There was definitely something odd about him. _I thought as more scents filled my nose. _Were getting closer to the Hollow! _

He was a couple tail-lengths ahead of me when he slipped through a dense bush. I quickly crawled underneath and saw nothing but the enterance to the Hollow. A twig snapped and the calico tom came out of the dirt place tunnel. His amber eyes peered around as if he sensed someone watching him, as he narrowed his eyes at a spot near the oak tree, Owlwing limped out.

"What are we looking at?" His purr made me jump a little. "I mean really. Its just Owlwing and Tumblefall. Although Owlwing looks annoyed." Amusement flickered in his gaze. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"_We _aren't looking at _anything_. Besides I'm not really in the mood to explore anymore. Sorry... I got distracted and thats why I didn't meet up with you at the Big Elm." I stumbled out from under the bush as Tumblefall and Owlwing went inside the tunnel. _How did Ravenpaw get under there? Granted I'm big for a she-cat and a kit but he's still a little bigger than I am. Space wasn't exactly what the bush had in there. _Ravenpaw slide out with ease minus a flash of pain in his eyes.

With some arguing on my behalf the black tom went to Brightbreath for something for the pain that he denied he had. I turned to walk to the elders' den, when I heard a hissing from behind me, Owlwing came out and gently laid in a patch of sun. Cobwebs gave way to a small trickle of blood. I looked down at my paws, watching them make small and deep ridges in the earth. _It's amazing how much I haven't noticed about myself_.

Ignoring the deputy I padded into the elders' den, hoping to hear a story and give my mind a rest for the day. Unfortunately Sharpthorn was a sleep and she was the one I wanted to tell the story, the story of Leafpool and Crowfeather. There was a slight breeze in the twilight. _Better go and get some of that poppy seed before I get my ears pawed off. _

Dovekit was prodding me awake the next morning. " Hey, Mousekit! Wake up! Midnightstar wants to talk with you. She sounded angered." Crowfur spent another night in the nursery, which meant that our leader never came in. "She wants to see you _NOW. _Her words not mine," purred Cinderkit.

Crowfur wants to move to the elders' den and Midnightstar is making it impossible for her to do that. _She is selfish to want to keep doing her duties as leader and have kits. It puts a strain on the other queens and warriors. _The stones leading to my mother's den were cold as ice and carefully hidden by a large stump. Two scents filled my nose when I got closer to the enterance.

_Owlwing._ "Why don't you come in out of the cold?" I think I hear a hint of pride in the she-cat's meow._ It's not that cold out. _"Besides I, we, need to disscus something." A pair of amber eyes caught a small amount of light. "Owlwing was just telling me of yesterday. She said you did very well."

"Wh...What do you mean? I didn't do anything yesterday except miss out on hanging with Ravenpaw near the Big Elm."

"Yes, I realized that when Owlwing had told me what happened, " _There was still a hint of proudness in her purr... why? _"she was testing you. She knows you sit in some of the training sessions with the apprentices and the 'practice' ones with your friend. Owlwing wanted to see what you could do. That's all."

"I think you are more than capable of the offer." The deputy hissed the last part. "Why don't you just offer her, what your going to offer her, already!" _Who put ants in her nest?_

The green eyes were focused on me again. "Mousekit, you can decline this or not it's up to you, would you like to be-" Her eyes turned dark.

"Why's my kit in here? A kit has no right to be in the leader's den. Especially without me knowing." The gray and orange tom made me jump out of my fur.

"This doesn't concern you. You made it very clear you didn't want anything to do with them." Anger drifted off Midnightstar's pelt.

"This conversation is for us three cats. Not you. Get Out of here Flowerfrost!" Relizing Midnightstar wasn't going to say anything else Owlwing spoke up.

In an instance I saw a flash of orange, gray, and brown. The leader shoved me out of the way before I got crushed against the wall. Owlwing was now in the enterance and Flowerfrost was beside the cream and white queen. He was getting ready to lunge. Without thinking I jumped in front of Owlwing. _I don't need cats to protected me. I can by myself, I can show you. _


	4. Getting Closer

**CHAPTER 4**

**Growing Closer**

The black cat stretched as he heard yowling and screeching in the clearing. For some reason he didn't waste time getting out of the apprentice's den. Honeypaw, Frostpaw, and Snakepaw grumbled as he rushed out.

"Flowerfrost! You are not supposed to be fighting with your clan mates! Especially a kit!" The silver- gray she cat was outside the leaders den. Dark green eyes glared down at the tumbling cats.

A light brown tuft of fur blew by Ravenpaw on a small breeze. _Mousekit _immediately floated into the sleepy apprentice's mind. Ravenpaw was in mid leap when Midnightstar's growl reached his ears, "Don't you dare interrupt! This doesn't concern you either, Flamecloud!" _He couldn't disobey the leader. _"If anyone, other than myself, interrupts them they will be on Elders duty. Warrior or not."

The two cats, in the center of the now gathered circle, finally stood apart, facing each other. Everything was being jumbled in his mind, _Mousekit and Flowerfrost. Why are they fight? Mousekit is still a 'kit! _Flowerfrost has more fur gone than Mousekit! Actually, the black apprentice didn't see any tufts of fur missing, except the small patch at the base of her tail.

Flowerfrost bunched his hunches up getting ready to spring again when a ginger tom stepped in between them. "This is useless. There is no reason for a warrior to be fighting with his kit!" the ginger tom growled. "Why are they fighting in the first place?" Green fire seemed to seep out of the tom's green eyes.

"Why they're fighting isn't any concern of the Clan's." With a twitch of her tail she silenced Owlwing before she could get a word in. "Flamecloud, as promised, you're on Elder's duty for a half moon." Jumping down from where she was standing she padded over to the three cats. "There is no need for fighting. Mousekit, you have proven yourself to me of what you are capable of. Flowerfrost, you have one chance. Ravenpaw," The cream and white she-cat looked at him. "Take Mousekit and go. Owlwing and Pebblepath, he is excused of _any_ work until sun high."

Sky blue eyes met the black tom's green ones. Leaves scattered and they were gone. _She's really upset. I need to know what happened, _thought Ravenpaw. He left the staring eyes behind him to go to his friend, the one who he'd never meet another like her, in all the lives StarClan could give him. She was something no one could replace.

He soon saw her sitting on the shore. "This isn't fair. She shouldn't replace herself with another cat." Ravenpaw wasn't following. "Its nothing against you. It's just, that if she didn't want kits she shouldn't of had us!" Midnightstar, he hissed under his breath. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm here it's just I would for once like to have my mother there for me and not afar. I love Crowfur, but I can see that taking care of Dovekit, Cinderkit, and I is putting a strain on her. She's not as young as she was." He padded over to the she-cat and wrapped his tail around her.

"On top of my _mother_, my own father hates me. This morning I was talking with Midnightstar and Owlwing, it was an okay conversation, when Flowerfrost came in. When his kit is in the leader's den is when he wants to play the concerned father role. Why can't I have a father like Lionflight?" At the name of his father surprised him. He, himself barely knew his father, but of what he had heard he loved him. Spiderminnow and Ravenpaw were the only important things to him other than the Clan its self. "I don't mean to bring anything bad up about you and your family or anything but, I just don't see why StarClan is giving me this "important" choice that depends on the Clans future.

"Leafpool must not be in her right mind! The whole of StarClan isn't! I can't even keep my own temper under control, let alone figure out a stupid prophecy! Am I just freaking out too much? I mean Flowerfrost was going to attack Owlwing for no reason. I can't believe I stepped in for that traitor! I should've let him scratch her eyes out!"

Mousekit hung her head, and she leaned against him. "Leafpool is in her right mind. She and the Whole of StarClan wouldn't have given the responsibility to a cat who couldn't do it. Your temper is just part of your charm!" He touched his nose to her ear. "Someone who can't handle you and _everything_ that comes along with you is not one you can rely on. The prophecy is something that takes time. Plus you're not alone in this, she came to _both_ of us!

"Two heads are better than one. I couldn't think of another cat to have my future in their paws. No one knows anything about freaking out. It's different for every cat. Why don't you tell me what happened the other day."

Mousekit talked about what Owlwing had said about his father and why Owlwing dislikes him so much, the truth to why she didn't meet him at the Big Elm, and what had happened leading up to the fight with her father. The truth to why Owlwing was even more surprising than hearing his father's name. _Lionflight and Owlwing? Friends?_, if Ravenpaw haven't heard it from Mousekit he wouldn't have believed it.

There was still plenty of time from when she finished her story till sun-high, so the two cats stayed where they were looking out on the waves of the lake. At one point the brown tabby talked about what she saw in the gentle waves. Her sky blue eyes shone with amusement, when he told her he didn't see what she saw.

"There, about half way in the middle. There's a cloud, that you wouldn't normally call a cloud. It's funny looking!" She purred. Ravenpaw looked out over the lake where she said she saw the cloud and the glare of the sun.

The black tom immediately jolted up. Puzzled sky blue eyes seared his pelt.

"We have to go back. Midnightstar said till sun-high." He wished he could stay like this with her for a while. He knew it was wrong, but he knew how he felt. The light brown tabby stood up and walked with him back to camp. As they got closer they heard yowls of rage coming from the tunnel.


	5. Apprentice

**Chapter 5**

**Apprenticed**

A new scent filled the tom's nose. He shouldered the tabby cat next to him in the bush. The sky blue eyes peirced his pelt as he ran into camp. Amber eyes looked him over as he neared the nursery.

"Where is Mousekit? I was told she was with you. Dovekit and Cinderkit are inside. The Clan has a vistor." Those amber eyes filled with worry and pain, he was so used to seeing with love in them, made it hard to regonize the old queen.

"Crowfur, Mousekit is alright," Ravenpaw tried to sooth the queen, "She's just outside the enterance. What is going on? What's happened?"

With a quick nod over her shoulder, the queen went back inside. Padding over where she had told him to he noticed the sound of meowing kits. Poking his head inside the wall of ferns, he saw two little bundles of fur. The kits huddled together, seeming scared of the black apprentice.

_Why would Crowfur let them be out here in a cold breeze than in the nursery? _Thought Ravenpaw. Then, so he wouldn't scare them more than he had, he crawled over to them and laid down close to them but not touching. _If they want to, they can come over_.

One of the kits finally got brave and dared to come and lay down next to him. "My name is Otter! Whats yours?" The kit looked up at him with orange-amber eyes. "Do you know where our dad is? He brought us here. It's really warm over here Moon, you should come over!" squeaked the tiny dusky brown kit.

Ravenpaw looked up to see if the kit's brother would come over, he didn't even move his eyes from his brother. "I'm Ravenpaw. No I do not know where your dad is."

At this moment three cats walked in. "Ravenpaw! What are you doing here! Where's Mousekit?"

"She's fine. she should be in the nursery by now. Now that you guys are here, I'm going to find Pebblepath and see if she needs me. Good-bye Otter, Moon." He dipped his head to the kits and left.

_**Mousekit's P.O.V**_

I stared at Ravenpaw. _I can't believe he pushed me into a bush! _The torns snagged at my fur as I got out. Just before the black apprentice went through the tunnel enterance the yowls stopped. Curiosity pricked my pelt. Waiting a few moments, I padded after Ravenpaw.

Just as I got the nursery into my view I saw a white tail-tip disappear behind a screen of ferns. The clearing was so silent, I think everyone could hear the other Clan's in their camps. _I've had enough excitment to last the day_, Crowfur's amber gaze seared my pelt.

"Are you okay? What happened early this morning?" The bramble tabby's eyes softened. "I've got a story to tell you!"

"I'm fine, I promise. My _father_ and I got into an arguement. That's all," I didn't want to give the queen too much information because she takes thing too serious sometimes. "What kind of story!"

"Well, it's from when Midnightstar was younger. Your mother would get into the most trouble I could ever dream possible!" Dovekit and Cinderkit were now on the either side of me. "Did you guys know that your leader also had siblings?" She waited for a response. All three of us shook our heads.

"There was your mother of course, Mouseleg, and Sterlingpaw. Sterlingpaw amazed everyone b getting his apprentice name, for he tended to be very ill. His young vibrant self made it up to the day of his warrior assment, when he became very ill. Unfortunetly the Clan lost one of their best apprentice's that night." Crowfur's eyes darkened with sadness.

"What did he look like?" Cinderkit seemed to like this story. As to where Dovekit was already taking a nap.

"He was a dark russet tabby with black legs and tail. He and your mother were close. Mouseleg and your mother's relationship went wrong somewhere. I think it started when Mouseleg asked for her name to be change. Before it was "Mouseleg" it was "Mousepool", Midnightstar loved her name. They had... " As she trailed on, I fell asleep.

Otter and Moon moved into the nursery with us last night after we shared tongues. _I've got to amit, it's weird having a tom sleep in the nursery._

"Yes! I'm sure Horizon slept in there! I saw him when I woke up!" Ravenpaw didn't believe me. "I think I can trust what my eyes see!" I purred.

"Whatever you say! I'll believe you. What do..." Before he could finish his question Midnightstar called for me again.

"What is it this time?" I asked padding toward her den. "Is this about the fight yesterday with Flowerfrost?"

"Yes and no. As I said yesterday, you've shown me what I already know so this is what I'm going to do. You, Cinderkit, and Dovekit will be apprenticed early." Dark green eyes looked down inviting her unto the stump. "You have shown courage, strength, and a stubborniness we all can use in the Clan."

I jumped up, accepting the invitation. I looked across the clearing, Cats were just waking up, eating prey, and then stalking over to Owlwing who sets patrols. Two pairs of eyes gleamed out of the nursery. _Otter and Moon! _ They quickly moved away as Horizon stumbled out.

Green eyes looked at me from across the clearing where Owlwing sat. _Told you!_ I tried to get the black tom to see, but he turned his head as Pebblepath called to him. Flowerfrost was coming from the warriors den straight toward us.

I looked at Midnightstar, but she wasn't there. I glanced back at the gray and orange tom. He wasn't there either. Instead I saw a field with frost on it. Flowers were poking up everywhere. There was no sun and there wasn't many stars either. In fact there was only one star that seemed to be right next to the moon. The moon was at its highest, midnight.

Everything seemed different. Hatered seeped from the ground and sky toward each other. A cat appeared. "Through your leader you will have the Clan to your will. Only when they piece together again will you be able to rest. Look to the sunrise for the answer." The tabby she cat was gone.

"Get down so I can apprentice you!" Hissed Midnightstar, bringing me back to the clearing. I jump as she starts to announce the meeting, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the Stump." Her meow sounded like thunder compared to the silence of the morning.

"I know these cats are young, but they are showing strong will to become apprenticed early! Mousekit, Cinderkit, and Dovekit please come to the front. Mousekit, do you promise to learn and uphold the warrior code taught to you by your Clanmates?"

"Yes," I said strongly then added, "with my life"

"Dovekit, do you promise to learn and uphold the warrior code taught to you by your Clanmates?"

"Yes! With all the breath in me!" His eyes shown with pride.

"Cinderkit, do you promise to learn and uphold the warrior code taught to you by your Clanmates?"

"I do." The gray tabby purred.

"Flamecloud, Jayberry, and Hazemist." The green eyes of the queen turned looking at the three cats. "Flamecloud, you have the knowlegde of good hunting, I hope you pass that on to Mousepaw. Jayberry, skilled in almost everything but herbs I hope that you pass _your knowlegde_ onto Cinderpaw. Hazemist, being one of the best fighters the Clan has ever seen, I hope you pass this on to Dovepaw!"

All three of the warriors nodded and strode to sit next to their apprentices. "Mousepaw! Dovepaw! Cinderpaw!" Their Clanmates shouted their new names over and over. A scent of illness reached me. Blue eyes were gazing at me. The red tabby turned and just disappeared.


	6. Interval

**Sorry guys for the really long wait... It was near the end of school so I was basically crammed! lol Well, I'm out of school now, so I should have more time to work on the story some more. My friend, XxXIceShadowXxX has a story, _Blackmoon's Hope_, that goes on at the same time as mine. Our Clans are like "neighbors" sort-of. :) Anyways she's working on it, and it'd be really cool if you guys went and read/skim it. I'll try to get a new Chapter up as soon as I can. Thanks for the support and all! **

**Midnightfrost  
><strong>


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Paws flew through the air like leaves falling from the sky. Cats tumbled around and with each other. In the mist of it all was a dark brown tabby with a wide head and wide muscular shoulders, blood spilled from a long gash on their pale-furred underside.

_This is impossible, I can't be here! _"Mousepaw! Mousepaw wake up!" A cat was calling me. I felt sharp jabs on my side and without thinking I flung my self at the paws'.

"Mousepaw! Quit attacking Flamecloud! Mousepaw!" A she cats meow came from behind me. "Honeypaw go get some water. Quick!" There was a rush of paws and I felt someone pulling me.

Water splashed from the sky on my face. Coughing I looked up and saw a flat, white rounded face with a bright splotch of orange, and two black ears standing over me. "What happened? Where's Flamecloud? He was just here, why are you standing over me?" Realizing Flamecloud was behind me, pushing himself up off the ground and glaring at me, I knew what had happened.

I've been having these weird memories that I know weren't from my memory, if that makes any sense. "Sorry Flamecloud! I don't know what happened," I lied, hoping he didn't see through it. "Are you ok? This isn't going to effect our training today is it?"

"I'll take over training for the rest of the day, you and Mousepaw have been out everyday for a moon, from sun-high to sunset. Let me handle the paws' by myself for a while." There was the smallest hint of pleading in Jayberry's response.

"As a senior warrior, and you being a newer warrior than most..."

"Just because I'm a young warrior means that I should be able to recall a lot of my skills that I was learning for moons! I help out in the nursery as much as I can, I'm even trying to learn about some herbs, or at least as much as Brightbreath is willing to teach me. Then there is also the Elders' den and the normal patrols, hunting and border. I think I can handle four apprentices by myself." Blue fire seared the air around them from her eyes.

Flamecloud sat back, thinking, "You make a good point Jayberry. We'll see how you do for today and if you come back with good results, you can take lead sometimes in other training sessions." He padded off when he finished, "I expect to see their outcome in the camp tonight."

Eagerness seeped from the calico's pelt; she separated us into pairs and showed us a few battle moves to start with. I felt like someone was watching me the whole time. The itchiness of it on my pelt was so bad and distracting that it made me lose concentration and Honeypaw landed a few hard blows.

"Okay, you guys seem to have that down, like a warrior, so were gonna work on this." She demonstrates a move I've excelled at many times. "Mousepaw, since you seem to be out of it today, you can help me show the others." Her white tail-tip twitched in annoyance when she noticed I was staring at the sky. "Mousepaw!"

"What?"

"Come here. You're gonna help me demonstrate," she says pads to the other side of the clearing into the shadows. "Close your eyes and concentrate. Don't worry about them," her meow floats through the air towards me.

Steadying myself, I close my eyes, crouch low to the ground and listened. I could hear the sounds of scraping, _too small for the young warrior_ I thought. The sounds of birdsong filled the clearing, rustling leaves, and the smell of the pine trees drifted from RisingClan's territory. There was something different in the sickly sweet smell of it that shouldn't have been there, then a twig snapped from the same direction.

As I twitched my ears back, I could feel the ground tremble slightly. When I couldn't feel the vibration anymore I tucked lower and rolled to my right. I opened my eyes and the calico she-cat was right where I would have been. Without pause, I quickly counter-attacked, leaping and landing squarely on her shoulders. Then I lightly stepped off of her. _I guess she didn't think I'd counter-attack it, or even do what I did, because she dropped straight to the ground under my weight. _

"That was terrific! Where did you learn to do that? Did you even hear me explain what do to?" Her surprise was... well surprising.

"I'm not really sure where I learned that from... I've been able to do that for as long as I can remember." Three pairs of eyes stared at me. The fourth pair glowed with pride. Before I knew it, we were split into pairs again. A taunting bracken tabby stood before me, I just walked away into the shadows like Jayberry did. I walked all the way to small clearing where twolegs like to come in newleaf, and I could still here his sharp meow. I wound around to the other cats and wouldn't you know! Honeypaw was still yapping.

Instead of waiting for him to finish I pounced. Anger rippled off his pelt when I flattened him. "Wow! That's five for five!" Excitement rose in Cinderpaw's meow. I turned around to talk with him so that Honeypaw could go and try to attempt to do that to me again, but instead I was greeted with a sharp pulling at my shoulders.

Automatically I rolled unto my back hoping to dislodge them, but he held on with his teeth. I pulled forward and heard a snap of teeth. I turned around ready to defend myself when I ran into black fur. I looked over and Jayberry was next to him.

"There needs to be no fighting!" Her black ears swiveled as Honeypaw grumbled. "Why did you attack her? She was doing what she was supposed to be doing. You're supposed to listen for your attacker. And Mousepaw, there is no need to take as long as you did to circle. Cinderpaw, concentrate on what you and Ravenpaw are doing." The calico scolded everyone but Ravenpaw. "Ravenpaw, if he was an enemy, could've taken you by surprise and possibly wounded you badly. I think that's enough training for the day. Head back to camp. Cinderpaw, hang back with me, please."

Everyone left but Cinderpaw; Ravenpaw was never more than two-tail lengths away from me the whole way back. I was left to my thoughts for awhile. That usually doesn't happen; _Honeypaw's going to be a warrior any day now, so why would he risk attacking me? It makes no sense. But then again nothing these days makes any sense._

When I passed the entrance into camp Otterkit and Moonkit were wrestling near Risingwater. Horizon, Pepplepath, Midnightstar, and Flamecloud came in with fresh kill. Walking over to the mouth-watering pile I picked up a plump squirrel and went to the rock near the apprentice's den. I didn't even get one mouthful down when the kits raced over.

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><p>Ravenpaw's P.O.V<p>

"Can you believe that mouse-brain made a show out of me today? Where did Flamecloud go, we were supposed to show him what we learned or whatever." The bracken tabby rambled on and on about how the she-cat pinned him; five times in a row.

"I don't know where he is, maybe he went to rest, from the hunting patrol he went on. Go ask Nightspots, she might know." The black tom wasn't paying much attention, he was looking at the brown tabby Honeypaw, apparently, didn't like. The only two kits in the Clan right now were so infatuated with her that she can't even eat one meal without being attacked.

Ravenpaw looked over and Honeypaw was gone. The last cat to walk in from our group was Jayberry; who headed straight for Shinewhisker. The two she-cats were inseparable since Jayberry became a warrior. Losing Lionflight seemed to have had a hard effect on her the most; she's always trying to do more than she can, and she only seems to be leased stressed when she's around Shinewhisker.

"Ravenpaw, come join our hunting party! We're going by CloudClan territory so this should be fun! Especially with the rogues in that area!" A deep growl drifted through the air, pricking the tom's ears. Reluctantly he turned and trotted after the small group.

A squirrel darted in front of Ravenpaw, not seeing it till he stumbled upon it, raced after it. With a quick bite to the neck the squirrel lay limp in his mouth and the ferns next to him shivered. Honeypaw's eyes were dark and anger rippled off him; again.

"That was my squirrel. You may have just ruined my chance of my hunting lessons for my assessment!" A growl ripped the air between them; a quick flash of orange caught the corner of the black tom's green eyes.

"Didn't know you were doing that today. Sorry." The black tom hissed when he padded away. Not wanting to hunt he headed back to the camp; the brown tabby she-cat was in the apprentices den. Sky blue eyes looked curious so he told her what had happened.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the Stump for a Clan meeting." The orange cat and Honeypaw were sitting by the Stump. Pride shone in Risingwater's eyes; her one and only kit was becoming a warrior. "This young cat has proven to be a strong cat in many ways within this Clan, he studied our warrior code, and trained eagerly to be sitting here today," Midnightstar started the meeting as Mousepaw squeezed out of the dens' entrance. " Honeypaw, you have learned all that Echostream could teach you." She then turned to the orange tom, "Echostream, do you feel that he is ready?"

"Yes, I do."

"I, Midnightstar, leader of MountainClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Looking at Honeypaw she purrs, "Honeypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Honeypaw, from this moment you will be known as, Honeynose. StarClan honors your strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MountainClan."

"Honeynose! Honeynose! Honeynose!" The Clan cheered the bracken tom's warrior name. A golden and gray she-cat nosed her way to him.

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><p><strong>I'm no longer putting Chapter titles (other than the Chapter... whatever). I can't remember if I put that in the little interval thing. lol :P I'll try to get another chapter up as soon as I can... Its just my Summer is A LOT busier than I thought it would be.<strong>

**Midnightflash22  
><strong>


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